Fighting to Survive
by Zarayna
Summary: The time is shortly before the Toa-Dark Hunter war, and the place is the desolate Northern Continent. The person is a young Matoran, just one more Kanohi in the crowds. The story is about the dreams that floated through his mind as he gazed upon the barren lands around. This story is about the world that crushed them, one by one.
1. Chapter 1

**Gratitudes,****  
**

_To Caleb, whose great epic set my imagination churning. _

**Theme:**_ I dreamed a Dream, Les Miserables._

**Prologue**

The Prisoner

_Something not yet clear, something not yet here has begun…_

The room in the Toa Fortress was dim and dry. A barred window was set opposite the door, and a table with two chairs was against the other end. In one of these sat a Toa of Iron, placidly staring at the floor. He looked up quickly as the door opened. A Toa of Fire strode in, his polished armor a brilliant red underlaid with black. He seemed to be smiling, but that was only the build of the Kanohi Miru he wore; his green eyes behind it were calm and sober. A slender Kanoka launcher was slung on his back, unloaded. He paused behind the empty chair.

"I am Toa Faeros," he said slowly. At the start of his name, the prisoner looked sharply up, but relaxed after hearing the rest. "You," the Toa continued. "Are Rahkan, a former Toa Commander, Village protector, now a cutthroat and mercenary. You have murdered four Toa and many Vortixx—among others. You have robbed and destroyed a Xian forge. Why?" Only then did Rahkan look up.

"There are some classes in this world that will never give, nor need, a why. Addicts, slaves, and mercenaries," he responded, his voice laced with bitterness.

"Yes," Faeros replied, ignoring his point, "But why did you become a mercenary? Your fortress was destroyed by Dark Hunters, why would you become like them?"

"The same reason anyone does anything. To survive," Rahkan said, holding the gaze of his interrogator. "I'm a hunted Toa, I could not protect a village or do some other tame, legal trade."

He stopped abruptly, looking down once more. There was silence for a little. Then the interrogator spoke abruptly.

"You have three options. We imprison you and run the risk of Dark Hunters coming after you, we execute you, or we release you. Take your pick."

"I'll take the second," Rahkan responded. Then he looked up. "But I forgot, you're Toa. You don't kill." His strange Kanohi hid his expression, but the sneer in his tone was all too evident. The Toa started, angrily.

"Hold your tongue!" he snapped. "I was sent to give you mercy. Do _not_ spurn that!"

Rahkan gave a short laugh, more of a bark than a tone of merriment.

"Release might be considered that, but I know your ways, that is not the third option. Explain it more, if you would have me not spurn it!" he snapped, his tone elevating to match Faeron's. They glared at each other for a moment before the Toa of Fire broke the lock.

"All right then! Your imprisonment will be faked, and you will be transported to a small village in the Southern Continent that is in need of a Toa. Does that satisfy you?"

Rahkan nodded. "It does. I accept."

The sea was an endless view in front of him, and all around him. Rahkan leaned against the rail of the small ship he was in. A cloak obscured his armor and head alike, but his lightstone rifle was slung on his back all the same. He stared with empty eyes at the approaching landmass. He was tired, so tired. His body still ached from the running fights with the Toa Xia who had captured him. More than that, his heart was weary, scarred and battered. He slumped down, back against the railing, fingering his Kanohi. His mask of memory was half active at times like these, his mind unconsciously calling faces and sounds, fragments from long ago out of it.

He gave in, closed his eyes, and remembered…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter I**

The Guard

_I dreamed a dream in times gone by…_

The cold wind of early morning blew across the rocky plain, and the Fe-Matoran shivered slightly, wishing he had not forgotten his cloak. But cold was the least of his worries as he crouched on the massive boulder.

"I hate wolves," the Le-Matoran next to him whispered. Rahkan shivered again and clutched his last three javelins close to him.

"What do we do, sir?" his companion asked, and Rahkan could tell that he was scared. Olu1 had only recently been declared a fully-fledged guard, and Rahkan felt pity for the Matoran, to be caught in this situation so early.

"Option one, we leap off and run, in which case we die. Two, we try killing them all, which isn't going to work. Our best chance is the third, we sit here until a party finds us or these wolves get tired."

"Unless they get up to us before that," Olu countered. The wolves had been trying to jump recently; one had almost gotten to the top before Rahkan beat it back.

"Still, it's a chance we have to take," he replied, running his hand up and down the shaft of his spear. It was an old habit, and he found the firm wood comforting.

"Get some rest, Olu," he said, a little more gently. "I'll keep first watch, and you can relieve me in a few hours."

The Le-Matoran looked over the edge and then back at Rahkan. "I-I don't think I can sleep right now."

Rahkan allowed himself a smile. "Then lie down and close your eyes for a bit," he said, gesturing to one corner where the stone rose abruptly to provide a little resting place. "I'll call you if they start acting up."

Olu still looked hesitant, so the senior guard reached out, placing his hand on Olu's deep green pauldron. His orange eyes met Rahkan's ice-blue orbs.

"Olu," he said firmly, "I've never let a comrade die, and you won't break this. Trust me. You need to rest." The Le-Matoran's eyes dropped, and he nodded. Rahkan gave him a light slap on the shoulder. "Now lie down and try to relax."

He watched the Le-Matoran crawl to the indicated spot and obediently lie down. Then he turned his gaze back to the wolves.

They had chased down both of them, killing their Dikapi. It was almost a miracle either of them was alive now. It had been at least ten years since Rahkan had run into any Rahi this vicious. It was the first time he had ever encountered a wolf. He looked at his weaponry, discontented with the three short spears that had been strapped to his back. The rest were on the Dikapi. He placed one next to Olu. The Le-Matoran opened his eyes and, seeing the spear, muttered his thanks; he hadn't managed to grab any of his own weaponry.

The wolves were unusually dedicated, and Rahkan hoped that dawn would scare them away. It sometimes drove away nocturnal Rahi. He gazed at the dark sky, just beginning to show the first hints of dawn. He shivered a little as the wind cut through the loose garment he wore over his armor. He had been out on guard for too long.

There was always a sense of eternity in these wastelands, even when you weren't alone. A patrol that lasted an hour felt like a five hour long stretch. In the night it was even more. Sometimes it was unbearably long, but most of the time Rahkan enjoyed the feeling. No matter what his life was like in the Koro, this was always a time to recollect his thoughts, to become lost in his own mind.

Right now, however, he found that rather hard. Instead he focused on keeping guard against any sudden moves by the wolves. Roughly every ten minutes one tried jumping up, and every other time one found some paw-hold. Rahkan managed to kill one and wound another, but usually his stabs forced them to jump off again. It was unpredictable and devastating to Rahkan's nerves as he kept close alert for the next jump.

As he feared, the wolves did not disperse at the dawn. Olu refused to rest any longer, so Rahkan lay down himself. He needed to relax for a little.

The real fear was that they would not be found in time. The sun would begin to bake them in a few hours.

A startled cry from Olu made him open his eyes, and he struggled up just as the Le-Matoran succeeded in stabbing a wolf through one paw. It fell back with a dismal howl. Olu was shaking a little as he turned back. He looked a little embarrassed as he looked at Rahkan.

"Sorry. It was a bit sudden," he said. Rahkan nodded silently and then lay back down.

"Get used to that," was all he said.

It took him another hour, but Rahkan finally began to doze. He did not know how long he had drifted, but a sudden shaking brought him back to reality. Olu was standing over him, looking worried.

"Rahkan, the search party is here."

"You're worried?" Rahkan asked, confused.

"There's only four of them, Rahkan!" Olu exclaimed. Before he could continue, Rahkan had already pieced to together. The wolves had forced two guards into hiding, they could kill four as well.

"We'll have to distract them then," he said, and felt even his hands shake a little. There must be at least twelve wolves below them. On Dikapi they could give them a chase, but on foot…

He heard a sudden change in the Rahi. They had stopped circling the boulder.

"Rescue party spotted," he muttered, leaning over the edge.

"Hey, Rahi!" he yelled, "look up here!"

It worked for a moment, but as the four Dikapi riders drew closer their attention shifted back.

"Run!" Rahkan heard Olu yell behind him. "Get out of here!"

Rahkan pulled himself back up, watching the riders. They had stopped. He waved his javelin in the air.

They started moving again.

"Karzahni!" Rahkan cursed as the wolves began moving towards their rescue. He hefted his spear and cast it, striking one of the rearmost wolves. The rest kept going.

This was a moment where caution was simply unthinkable. With a sharp cry Rahkan leaped down, landing on the corpse of a wolf and rolling to his feet. Ahead the riders split to avoid the charging wolves.

Rahkan chose to ignore them, scattering pebbles and sand every which way as he sprinted to the fallen Dikapi. They were long dead, but his hands immediately went to two things. The spear he had dropped and the bundle of javelins still hanging from the saddle. He slung it over one shoulder, looking back at Olu who had just climbed down. The Le-Matoran cried out as one of the routed riders charged past them.

Rahkan turned, lowering his spear-

-Only for a wolf to smash into his stomach. The Matoran was sent flying back, and in a moment the beast was on top of him. His spear was gone, his javelins unreachable. He reached out his hands towards the wolf-head in a futile attempt to ward off the ravaging maw. It pushed, wearing down his last defense.

Then it reared up, and Rahkan felt its blood as it collapsed on top of him. He registered barely Olu's spear-shaft protruding from its mouth before the Le-Matoran was at his side, pulling the corpse off him. He squirmed out from under it, scrabbling to his feet. His chest hurt, and he knew there would be a bruise or three there under his chest-plate. Olu handed him his spear, and Rahkan noted that his comrade's hand was shaking a bit.

"Courage!" he said as he accepted his weapon. Looking around, he spotted only one of the guards sent to rescue them. The unlucky Matoran was travelling parallel to them, four wolves close behind. They were gaining.

"There!" Rahkan snapped, pulling out a javelin and taking off towards the beleaguered guard. The Matoran must have seen the help coming his way, because he immediately swerved towards them. Rahkan let his first javelin fly. It went wide, landing several feet to the left of the wolf he had aimed for. He pulled out another. The Dikapi was only thirty feet away, and the wolves were nipping at its feet.

Even as he threw his next spear it went down, the rider jumping clear just in time. The wolf which had made the strike could not attack the Matoran, as it collapsed from Rahkan's cast. He grabbed another javelin, moving forwards as he prepared to throw it. The Matoran was on his feet, resting the butt of his lance into the ground in an attempt to spit the first wolf that charged.

There was a green flash to Rahkan's left, and he was pleasantly surprised to see Olu charging to his fellow guard's aid, still armed only with a javelin.

Rahkan made his fourth cast even as the wolf he aimed at made a charge. The javelin pierced its back leg even as Olu thrust it through.

But even as that wolf fell back, its comrade took advantage of the break on the guard's defense to leap. Rahkan watched, frozen with one hand on his next javelin as he watched from third person a chilling re-enactment of his own struggle. The guard was down in a moment, the wolf on top of him. Rahkan tried pulling out a javelin, but in his haste he tore the whole bundle off his back.

Olu threw his javelin again, even as Rhakan rested his own from its confines. This time the Le-Matoran's cast went askew, grazing the wolf's shoulder. It looked up.

Rahkan's heartlight froze as he saw Olu charging the Rahi, weaponless. It rose up to meet him, abandoning its previous prey. Rahkan watched as it leaped, as Olu was hit, rolling to the side to avoid being pinned.

With a cry the Fe-Matoran charged into the fray, spear poised to thrust the wolf from behind. It turned at the last moment and charged him. His thrust went over the head, catching between two plates of armor. The force tore the weapon from Rahkan's grasp, even as he rolled to one side to dodge the wolf. He scrambled to his feet, even as the wolf turned to face the helpless Fe-Matoran.

_Great,_ thought Rahkan, _we're all in a pickle now_.

There was a shout behind him, even as the wolf leaped at the captain. The undikapi'd2 guard was at his side, spear planted. This time his thrust was not askew, and the wolf almost snapped the shaft as it impaled itself on it.

The three Matoran stood there motionlessly for a moment, heartlights racing. Then Rahkan looked toward Olu. The Le-Matoran was straightening his mask, but it looked as if he had come through undamaged.

"Thanks, captain," the other guard said. Rahkan nodded.

"Thank you for the distraction, Talki. Where's the rest of your crew?"

Talki glanced around, looking for his elusive companions.

"I- I don't know. I got cut off from the rest," he said. We got split up as these things attacked. What _are_ they?"

"Some type of wolves," Rahkan replied. "Whatever ungodly spirit possesses these lands is getting creative in the beasts that plague it."

The faint sound of approaching riders made all three look up. Rahkan's eyes flitted across the approaching Matoran. Three Dikapi, four Matoran.

"They picked up a traveler?" he murmured to himself, moving to meet them.

The three guards had managed to kill or wound enough of the wolves for the remainder to flee. One of the dikapi had a bandaged leg and its rider looked a little worse for wear, but they seemed to have fared better than Talki.

The fourth Matoran was a Ko-Matoran who seemed to tremble ever so slightly under his white and grey armor.

"Who did you find?" Rahkan asked his three guards, but the stranger spoke for himself.

"I'm from Deoli-Koro, captain," he said in a low voice that made Rahkan wonder if he was a De-Matoran. "I was sent to Gora-Koro with a message."

He paused, and Rahkan's eyes narrowed with worry. "What is it?" he asked.

"The Makuta," the Matoran replied, bowing his head slightly at the name. It was half for respect and half—Rahkan guessed—out of fear. "Makuta Krika came to our village two days. He wanted to take our Toa, and killed him when he resisted. Then he had his Rahkshi round up any Matoran who looked like they would resist as well." His voice choked slightly, and Rahkan could tell the anger in his eyes. "Krika took half our village away. 'I don't want another Toa on this continent,' he said as he left."

Rahkan had always thought that Deoli-Koro was especially blessed by the Spirit, having a team of four Toa. Now there were none.

"Our Toa is away," he said. "I doubt that Krika will attack us. But thank you for the warning."

The Ko-Matoran nodded. "I will return to our village then, we need all the help we can in rebuilding."

"By your leave, I will ask our elder if we can help," Rahkan responded graciously. "I am sorry we cannot give you a steed, but as you can see, we will have our own trouble returning to our village."

Gora3-Koro was, very simply, a canyon. Long ago the caves in which Rahkan's people lived had been carved out by a long-dead Toa of Stone. It was silent and deserted as the Fe-Matoran rode in.

He stopped next to one of the first doorways, tying the Dikapi to a bar. Stretching, he walked up the two steps into his home. It was plainly furnished, with a bed, table and chair in one corner. Beneath a set of shelves in the left corner rested his Lightstone Rifle, the bag of ammo faintly glowing as always. Rahkan put his javelin next to it and walked through a narrow door into the next room, far larger than his own.

To his left was the weaponry of the village guard, leaning against or hanging from the wall. A long table was situated at the center, and two Matoran were talking in front of it; Rahkan lived adjacent to the village guardhouse. One, seeing Rahkan, bowed quickly and headed out to begin his shift. The other turned to face the Fe-Matoran.

"Teoha!" Rahkan exclaimed, inclining his head. "What brings you here?" The Onu-Matoran smiled, and Rahkan could see an excited joy in his eyes.

"Feayrin does," he replied, and Rahkan started.

"He's back? Where? When? How?" The questions poured out, and Teoha smiled under his mask to see the normally composed guard almost jumping for joy.

"He arrived a little after you left."

"Where is he now?"

"I put him in my cave, he needs the rest." Teoha grew grave, but paused. "You'll see him yourself, later. How went the watch?"

"Wolves," Rahkan said bluntly. "Never saw one before, and it's been a while since I saw any Rahi so vicious. They killed our steeds, and we hid on a boulder 'til another patrol met us. We killed them all, lost another dikapi in the process. No one killed, but I do have some important news."

Teoha was about to respond, but Rahkan cut him off.

"It's the damn Makuta, Teoha. Killed the Toa of Deoli-Koro and took half the village away. Messenger met us. I don't know why, but Makuta Krika has it in for Toa. I thought we were safe, but with Feayrin back…"

Teoha was silent, a little shocked by the captain's terse report.

"That's going to be your duty, to keep the village safe. Maybe Krika won't know he's back.

Rahkan looked Teoha in the eye and shook his head once. "I'll be ready."

1 [Oh-luh]

2 Equivalent of 'unhorsed'

3 Go-rah


End file.
